Mindfulness Practice: Present Moment Awareness and Insight Meditation

Truth leads to Peace and Joy ... If we can learn to live in harmony with our true nature we will experience peace and joy. Emptiness is our true nature, one of selflessness and loving kindness. The "pursuit" of happiness is an endless process fraught with disappointment and doomed to failure... (http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/). The Buddhist word for truth is "Dhamma".

Happiness is nearer than you think! ... Everyone wants to be happy, but how exactly can we make that a reality in our lives? Is it just simply a case of changing our thoughts, practicing gratitude, being kind and living mindfully as some experts suggest? Dr. Mark Atkinson has found that all of these are important, but they aren't enough when it comes to experiencing True Happiness – the experience of inner well-being, peace and vitality that is with you most of the time in most circumstances.

Realizing Your True Nature... http://dharmawisdom.org/teachings/articles/realizing-your-true-nature - The Buddha taught that your true nature is emptiness (selfless) and when this true nature is realized, the divine states of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity emerge.

Joy & Peace... http://joyandpeace.net/introduction/ - A life of passion and contentment.

Joy is enthusiasm for life

It's waking up in the morning and being glad you're alive. It's the spark in your eyes and the spring in your step. It's living life with passion.

Peace is satisfaction with life.

It's going to bed at night and feeling secure, no matter what the day has brought. It's the depth of your eyes and the firmness of your step. It's living life with contentment.

Peace.It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

"Mindfulness gives you time. Time gives you choices. Choices, skillfully made, lead to freedom. You don’t have to be swept away by your feeling. You can respond with wisdom and kindness rather than habit and reactivity."

Quote from Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. Check-out book his book... "Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory Guide to Deeper States"

Practice meditation (as a form of mind training) that enables us to cultivate forgiveness, compassion, loving kindness, joy and peace.

The Real Meaning of Meditation - https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-real-meaning-of-meditation What is meditation? How does it work? Can meditation help you achieve genuine peace and happiness in today’s hectic, often chaotic world?

Misconceptions About Selflessness... https://jackkornfield.com/misconceptions-selflessness/ The mark of true emptiness is joy; it enlivens the appreciation of the mystery of life as it appears to us each moment.

Vipassana (a.k.a. Insight Meditation) is the ultimate expression of Socrates' dictum, "know thyself." The Buddha discovered that the cause of suffering can actually be erased when we see our true nature. This is a radical insight. It means that our happiness does not depend on manipulating the external world. We only have to see ourselves clearly, a much easier proposition (but in the ultimate sense, knowing oneself with clarity reveals there is no permanent self, as the Buddha taught).

Life Purpose: Eliminate suffering and its cause, attachment & craving. Refer to the Buddha's "Four Noble Truths". This is achieved via mindfulness meditation.

Interesting article, plus many links to information about other religions ... O'Brien, Barbara. "The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism." ThoughtCo, Aug. 4, 2017, thoughtco.com/the-four-noble-truths-450095. Following the middle way enables one to enjoy life's experiences without judgment, bias, manipulation, or any of the other mental barriers we tend to erect between ourselves and what's real.

The Beatitudes: Pathways of Living in True Joy and Peace - (http://www.tractassociation.org/pamphlets/beatitudes-pathways-living-true-joy-peace/) "Beatitude" is Latin for "an abundant happiness".